Carolina Panthers deactivate Greg Hardy amid domestic violence controversy
Greg Hardy, the Carolina Panthers defensive end who earned a jury conviction in July for choking and threatening to kill his then-girlfriend, has been deactivated by his team ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Detroit Lions.
The team has not yet explained why Hardy, who had a sack in their week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, won't be playing.
Hours before the decision was announced, head coach Ron Rivera said he was comfortable with Hardy playing, reports CBSSports.com's Ryan Wilson.
Despite his conviction, Hardy was never suspended by the NFL, but the league did take the time to let him know that his face paint violated the league's uniform code.
Panthers owner Jerry Richardson spoke out tearfully against domestic violence last week, but the team has largely not publicly addressed their stance regarding Hardy.
"And when it comes to domestic violence, my stance is not one of indifference. I stand firmly against domestic violence, plain and simple," Richardson said."To those who would suggest that we've been too slow to act, I ask that you consider not to be too quick to judge. Over the course of our 20 years, we have worked extremely hard to build an organization of integrity..."
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has come under increasing fire for the fallout from the controversy surrounding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was caught on video punching and knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City casino elevator.
In an interview with "CBS This Morning" co-anchor Norah O'Donnell, Goodell admitted that on the entirety of the Ray Rice incident, "we didn't get this right. That's my responsibility. And I'm accountable for that."
Goodell, however, dismissed the idea that his job was in jeopardy.
"I'm used to criticism. I'm used to that. Every day, I have to earn my stripes. Every day, I have to...do a better job," Goodell said.
Another case adding to Goodell's criticism is that of ARay McDonald, the San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman who was arrested for domestic violence just three days after Goodell issued so-called tough new guidelines for punishing domestic violence incidents. McDonald suited up and played the Sunday following his arrest.